Motorists are just being milked

REGARDING the £12.50 a day congestion fee to enter Newcastle, and fees for crossing the Tyne’s bridges. This is just another example of milking the motorist again.

Don’t even think about escaping into Northumberland, the county council has just hiked up parking fees there.

You could opt for public transport but many rural services have been axed, and a £50 a day charge for buses means this will be passed on to passengers by increased fares.

Travel by rail to Newcastle is only available as a regular service from Morpeth and Cramlington, stations further away like Widdrington have a very limited service indeed.

Last summer saw chaos on Northern Rail due to amended timetables, and more recently industrial action over abolishing guards.

I understand the need to clean up the environment but

you can’t keep on punishing people for using cars unless you are going to offer alternative means of transport.

I notice there’s been some movement in trying to reopen the Ashington, Blyth and Tyne railway to passengers, but this line could have, and should have, been up and running again ten years ago. If it ever opens up again, it won’t be for another three years.

If you have to travel by car to Newcastle for your work, and assuming you work a five day a week, you’ll have to part with £62.50 a week plus what it already costs to park. For those on modest incomes like shop workers this will take away a large proportion of their take home pay, which to people already struggling is unacceptable.

I’m also concerned about the effect this will have on visitors to the city. Retail outlets are already being hit by online trading, who is going to part with £25 for congestion fees and parking, when you can shop free online?

I fear Newcastle city centre will become a ghost town and many jobs will be lost.

I have nothing against measures to clean up the environment, but you can’t just foist these onto thousands of people who have no transport options.

Newcastle council are putting the cart before the horse, there should have been massive investment in public transport in Tyneside’s peripheral urban areas like Blyth, Bedlington and Ashington. If public transport

is available and people opt to use a car, by all means impose charges. To sting people when there is no choice for them is all wrong, highway robbery in fact. WILLIAM ELLIOTT,

Ashington

Make all the council vehicles electric too

HOW typical of Newcastle City Council to seize upon a plan to extort more money from the beleaguered motorists to fill the coffers of the council, using the excuse that the profits would be used for the roads. How much would this scheme cost?

Why not firstly make all the council vehicles electric and the buses which emit much more fumes than cars, instead of a costly scheme to rob the poorer motorists.

I would urge more levelheaded councillors to stand up against this ill-conceived idea, and use more sensible alternatives until car users have had the chance to get more electric cars.

MRS LILY BRENNAN, Hexham

Have fun and raise cash for this charity

DEAR Readers, why not join us for an ‘Ultimate Girls Night Out’ on Friday, June 28 at Killingworth Social Club in North Tyneside.

We have a fantastic charity event, Pecs & Prosecco. Amazing comedy drag compere, incredible live band Officers & Gentleman, two male exotic dancers and a

disco. All the monies raised on the night will be in aid of the If You Care Share Foundation.

Admission is strictly by ticket only which must be purchased prior to the event and they cost just £15.

To book your tickets please contact either Rebecca on 07873 145332 or Billy Taylor on 0191 2709677.

This event is based on a first come basis.